


Adventures in Monokuma Circus

by LisaBasil



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Frequent Swearing, Multi, Spoilers for both games, Suggestive Themes, Violence in Later Chapters, circus AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-01
Updated: 2016-02-02
Packaged: 2018-05-17 15:54:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5876785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LisaBasil/pseuds/LisaBasil
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the Monokuma Circus comes to town, you never know what to expect. Murders, mysteries, and mermaids-yep, mermaids-all come together to make this one hell of a summer! And add romance, friendship and past secrets into the mix, you get a recipe for what could be the most Despair-Inducing circus of all time. Let's hope everyone makes it through in one piece...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Long time, no see! So sorry, school got me to be busy as heck this past few months...but due to a few complications, I have a quarter off! Which means plenty of time to write! Yay!
> 
> So, I have a plan right now. I'm going to be uploading this fic onto here, and Playing For Keeps (my other, Celesonia-centric fic) I'll be uploading onto my Fanfiction account. And, of course, both will be updated a lot :D
> 
> Speaking of, you have six chapters coming your way today, and with any luck, I can finish the seventh and post that in a few hours. Hope you guys enjoy one of my favorite projects, Adventures in Monokuma Circus!

If there was one thing to appreciate about this city, it was the location, right next to the beach. A five minute walk away from the fairgrounds would bring you to a slope where grass and sand intersected, leading one down to a small beach littered with twigs and shells. Though it wasn't the time of day for surfing and swimming, it was still a beautiful place to visit, for locals and travellers alike.  
Mondo Oowada couldn't remember the last time he had seen the ocean, maybe one, two years? Well, however long it had been, it was nice to be back. Hell, it was all he could do to keep from kicking off his shoes and standing in the waves, but there was still work to be done setting up with everyone else. He appreciated it, though, that Daiya had decided to show him this little place; after two days worth of travelling, some nice scenery was just what he needed.  
"Gorgeous, ain't it?" Mondo turned his head to look at his older brother, who was now by his side. Daiya had his arms crossed and legs apart, looking every bit as confident as you'd expect a former biker gang leader to be. His younger brother seemed to reserve traces of that confidence, though where Daiya was more collected and mature, Mondo came across as a bit more rash and hot blooded. They were both incredibly close, however, even a complete stranger could sense it.  
"Yeah," Mondo replied, eyes drawn back to the waves. "Wouldn' expect it from a place like this."  
Daiya smirked. "That's the beauty of it, though. Findin' unexpected things in the most common places." He raised an eyebrow when his younger brother snorted. "What's so funny?"  
"You sound like an asshole."  
Daiya scoffed. "Least I don'  _look_  like one."  
The comeback earned a shove, which led to another shove, which led to the duo play fighting with each other, running along the beach, and ignoring the sand getting into their shoes, for all the fun they were having. At one point, Mondo was able to use a well-timed jab of the elbow to escape a chokehold, and took off running, turning backwards to flip Daiya off. The surprised look on his older brother's face brought a triumphant one to his own...  
...until he tripped on what Daiya had been staring at.  
Not expecting something to trip him at all, Mondo fell backward, letting out a cry of surprise. Landing on his back he propped himself up on his elbows, looking up as Daiya ran to him. Mondo finally looked down as well, and immediately crabwalked backwards, letting out a string of choice expletives as he did so.  
What he had tripped on was a girl.  
A girl with a tail.

* * *

 

"You are such a fucking moron!"  
Mikan Tsumiki cringed as the other girl shrieked, a natural instinct since school days, though fortunately this time she wasn't the person being yelled at. Rather, it was her patient, who didn't seem to agree at all. He instead looked up at his boss, a condescending smirk on his face.  
"You do not expect such a superficial wound to truly harm me, do you?" he said as Mikan continued to dress the wound, a bloody slash on his upper chest. It was obvious that the wound wasn't fatal, but it wasn't something to be taken lightly, either. Of course, Gundam Tanaka had a rather unique way of viewing things...which their employer, Junko Enoshima, detested.  
"Anyone with a brain wouldn't be proud that a lion slashed at their chest!" Junko retorted, hands balled into fists on her hips. "But you are fucking crazy! That thing could bite off your fucking  _arm_ , and you wouldn't care!"  
"To bestow a fragment of my contemptuous mortal form as a sacrifice to a god would be nothing short of a blessing!" The animal tamer shouted back, leading the nurse to wince. "That you would even consider the notion ridiculous is blasphemy of the highest degree!"  
Junko crossed her arms over her chest, her heel making a rythmic clacking on the metal floor of the makeshift doctor's office. "Do you understand a word of that?!" she asked Tsumiki. "I sure as fuck don't understand a word of that." It was employees like Gundam that pissed her off to no end.  
"Look," she growled, her attention back on the lion tamer. "I already pay people to get hurt for a living. You're not one of them, especially when you aren't onstage! So I suggest you stop acting like you're immortal or some shit or else-"  
"Tanaka!"  
Three pairs of eyes turned to face the newest guest to the infirmary, who was weilding a chubby hamster in his hand. Mikan felt Gundam tense, and she bit her lower lip in concern. Now was not the time for the time for another fight between him and Souda.  
"Your hamster crawled into Nidai while I was workin' on 'im!" The mechanic barked, pointed teeth bared. "This is the third time this month! I told ya it messes with his system!"  
Gundam sprang from his seat, ignoring Mikan's weak pleading for him to sit. Unfortunately, he was far too incensed at the moment. "You dare to defile Invading Black Dragon Cham-P with your vile mortal touch?!"  
"Well, _your_ hamster dared to defile  _my_  robot! Keep 'em outta my tent, got it?!"  
"The Four Dark Lords of Destruction shall not be confined to a fortress of steel! They are to roam over their domain at their leisure!"  
"Not when it interferes with my work, they won't!"  
While the boys continued to argue with each other, Junko plopped down next to Mikan. "Boys, am I right? You can never reason with them."  
Mikan looked at the two, then down. "N-not all boys are _that_ bad..." she said softly. She was desperate for the two to stop fighting. Violence, or even raised voices, upset her greatly.   
Noting the nurse's discomfort, Junko pursed her lips, soon grinning. "That's why I like quiet people better," she whispered, moving her hand to Mikan's knee. The sudden blush on her girlfriend's face only served to widen Junko's grin, and she slowly slid her hand upwards. "Much better company when you're more of a peacemaker, don't you agree~?"  
"Uh...um..." Fortunately for Mikan and unfortunately for Junko, the door swung open again. "Tsumiki! We need you on the beach for-uhm..."  
Mondo froze midsentence as he took in the scene playing out in front of him. The two girls sitting on the bed, Gundam and Souda yelling in each other's faces, with a hamster perched on Gundam's shoulder, blissfully unaware of the trouble he had caused. Upon hearing Mondo, two boys stopped yelling at each other, at least temporarily, and Junko pulled her hand from Mikan's leg with obvious irritation.  
"Y-yes, Owada-kun?" Mikan was raken aback slightly by her own voice, but recovered and stood. "What is it?"  
"Er..." The biker rubbed the back of his neck. "There's somethin' Aniki an' I found that maybe you should take a look at. You an' Enoshima."  
By his body language, Junko could tell he wasn't willing to say what it was they'd found. "You two get out," she snapped at Gundam and Souda. C'mon, Mikan, let's see what the hell's going on."

* * *

  
By the time the three made it onto the beach, someone else had already arrived at the scene. Junko immediately frowned when she recognized her.  
"What, so Mukuro suddenly has more of a priority than I do?" she asked, irritated.  
Mondo shrugged. "I saw her first," he stated. "Thought since she's co-owner an' all, she could help."  
Mukuro nodded. "All I did was give her a shirt," she stated calmly.  
"Give who a shirt?" Junko demanded to know.  
Mukuro's next statement was so matter-of-fact that no one could really process it at first. "The mermaid."  
"...what."  
Mukuro stepped to the side, where Daiya was sitting next to an unconcious girl on the beach. Mikan gasped in shock, while Junko merely raised an eyebrow. She did look kinda weird, with tan skin and chestnut brown hair. It brought the image of another member of the circus to mind, though unlike Owari, the girl seemed a bit...softer. Junko noted that the boobs were pretty big though. Though she quickly turned to the lower half, where a red fish tail replaced legs. She was wearing a white T-shirt, one of Mukuro's that barely fit as it was.  
"Aniki an' I were fu-messin' around on the beach," Mondo explained, one glance from his brother forcing him to correct a choice word in the presence of women. "I tripped on her, an' she was layin' there, all konked out, ya know? An' we thought Tsumiki would know what was wrong with her-cuz she ain' dead. I checked."  
Junko knelt down by the girl, looking her over as the gears in her head started turning.  _She's pretty cute_ , she thought.  _We need another set of nice tits to bring in the crowds. And mermaids don't pop up just anywhere. We could get some great publicity for this..._  
Meanwhile Mikan looked the mermaid over. "She may be dehydrated," she said, swallowing a lump in her throat. "I-I'm not an expert on mermaids, so I don't know too much...s-sorry..."  
A sudden splash made everyone jump fron the body as Mukuro held a bucket. "What the fuck?!" Mondo yelled. "You crazy or somethin'?!"  
"She came from saltwater, right? I'm trying to help."  
"Where'd you even get a bucket?" Daiya asked.  
Mukuro shrugged. "I was giving water to some of the animals when you called me over. Didn't think to put it down." The mermaid coughed, and Mukuro smiled a tiny bit. "Looks like it helped, huh?"  
"Well, give the bucket to Mondo!" Junko commanded. "Mukuro, I need you to call the press! Daiya, you tell Kazuichi to build me a large tank! And Mikan, you and I will try to revive this chick! This is the start of a whole new era in the Monokuma Circus!"  
Junko Enoshima was right: a new era was indeed starting. Though it was to be nothing like anyone would expect.

 


	2. The New Guy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's Chapter Two! Okay, before I go any further, there are a couple of things you guys should know.
> 
> First off, I started this fic way back in 2014. I wrote the first five chapters, hit writer's block and a really nasty rest of the year, and was on hiatus until...a few days ago, actually, when I wrote Chapter 6. So even with me editing my old chapters, if you notice a weird change in writing style or something, that's probably why.
> 
> Secondly, this chapter and the next are rather unusual compared to the rest of the fic. Why? Well, since this is basically a day-to-day fic about the circus, everyone gets a plot. And with 30+ characters to deal with, it's easiest to tell with little snippets in each chapter, like Game of Thrones. But only three to five parts per chapter though ^^;; Don't worry, hopefully everyone gets a close to equal amount of attention. These next two chapters are for establishing who is who and where is what, do it'll be in POV only.
> 
> Finally, the list of characters and ships is incomplete, and will remain incomplete until the fic is finished. Characters will be added once they are in the fic (for example, a character will join in Chapter 7, and I'll add their name once I finish the chapter and post it), and ships will be added once they are confirmed canon in the story (JunkoMikan is the only established couple atm, which is why it's there so far). I'm writing this as I go, hence the absence of everything.
> 
> Well, now that that giant wall of text is out of the way, hope you anjoy this wall of text, AKA Chapter 2!

"And why do you want to join a circus?"  
The two young men were sitting in a small office, where normally either Junko or Mukuro would interview possible candidates for their show. However, with one look at the newcomer, Junko had left that job up to her safety regulations manager, since she already planned for someone boring like that to manage a game, or operate a ride, or something that didn't involve skill. And her prediction was right-as far as Kiyotaka Ishimaru could find, this young man had no special skills whatsoever-he was the very definition of average.  
Even now, the potential employee rubbed the back of his neck as he thought of an answer to the question. "Well, uh...ever since I was little, I loved going to the circus. And since I saw the 'help wanted' ad, I figured, since I don't need a work permit anymore, it would be a good job for the summer-help with saving up for college, and stuff."  
Ishimaru's facial expression was unchanging, with something of an authoratative glare always on his features. It only served to intimidate, and ever since the interview started, Makoto Naegi was very intimidated. He had made his way to the grounds, looking for whoever was in charge, and a girl in pigtails glanced at him, then said something to Ishimaru, who then came over to start the interview. It was strange, though, why someone like Kiyotaka, who could pass for an army officer or member of government, owned a circus. But he wouldn't question it. He didn't look like the guy to question.  
Ishimaru, meanwhile, scratched something down on a piece of paper, though what he wrote didn't matter. Junko had told him to hire Naegi for a game, but make sure he was capable of working. A hiring process that Ishimaru himself was highly dubious of, but then again, you never question your boss.  
"Excellent! That is the end of the interview, and now I will give you a tour of the facilities." Ishimaru started to get up, pushing his chair in.  
Naegi blinked. "Wait-so do I have the job?"  
"Yes. I will explain the details of it tomorrow. But first, a tour."  
The pair left the small office in the trailer and started walking towards the bigtop, Naegi having to walk faster to keep up with Ishimaru's brisk pace. He really couldn't believe his luck. Working at a circus would probably be great! Maybe they would give him a discount on funnel cake...  
Entering the tent, the two found a small girl and a boy in a jumpsuit engaged in conversation. The boy was currently doing something to a panel on the ground. And what they were saying made absolutely no sense to the new employee.  
"Yeah," the guy said. "She should be ready for the first show. Maybe run a test tonight?"  
The girl shook her head. "I'm sorry, but there are a few things I need to iron out first...she needs to be a bit faster than she is."  
Ishimaru paid no heed to their words. "That is our technician, Chihiro Fujisaki, and our mechanic, Kazuichi Souda. They are working on a project for opening night, which no one really knows what it is."  
The two finally took notice of the two arrivals. "You the new guy?" Souda asked, grinning. Taking note of his razor sharp teeth, Naegi flinched. He seemed friendly, despite how scary he looked. "Nice to meetcha."  
The girl bowed. "It...it's a pleasure to meet you," she said quietly. She had to have been one of the cutest things Naegi had ever seen. How was she a technician, of all things? As he opened his mouth to reply, Ishimaru spoke up. "Come inside, I will show you the center of the circus." Having no choice but to follow, Naegi did so. It was a fairly nice looking place, decorated in red, white and black. Inside a girl was sitting down, eating a bag of chips, and a guy all in black was talking to a beautiful blonde girl.  
"Yes, this is our big top," Ishimaru was saying. "We host a show here every night while in town. You will have a chance to see the show if you use your break time wisely. Come along. The Sideshow is next."  
Naegi pulled his eyes from the blonde girl and followed Ishimaru outside, where they were met with screaming. "What is going on?" Ishimaru said, mostly to himself, as he started towards the noise. Naegi tagged along right behind. Even though he wanted to see this sideshow, he was curious.  
A small group had formed around a girl in pigtails, shakily holding a knife while a boy tied to a post was screaming. Justifiably so; a knife was lodged centimeters from his crotch. Ishimaru walked up to the girl. "Is something the matter, Fukawa?"  
"Hell yes, something's the matter!" The man tied to the post yelled. "Fukawa nearly castrated me! And she's cut off some of my hair too!" Sure enough, clumps of brown dreadlocks were on the floor.  
"Yeah, because your hair is impossible to miss," a redheaded guy said sarcastically. The man, whose dreadlocked hair stuck straight out, glared at him.  
"That's not even the point, man! I could be _dead_ right now!"  
Fukawa frowned. "I don't c-c-care if you _do_ die," she said. "Th-that's the problem. Now, if maybe Togami-sama were to..."  
"Fukawa, you know Enoshima-san has decided that Hagakure be your knife-throwing assistant when he isn't giving predictions. You cannot ask our financier to stand in. But try to be more careful-the last thing the circus needs is an accident onstage."  
At this point a young man with white hair stepped forward. "I could do it," he said with a smile. Ishimaru immediately shook his head.  
"Komaeda, you know for a fact that you can only do so much in the show. Volunteering for everything dangerous will get you killed! No, Hagakure will continue his job, and that's that!" He walked away, Naegi following again. He heard a "thunk" behind him, and Hagakure screamed for his mother immediately after. Trailing behind Ishimaru, Naegi froze, smelling something from inside a stand. Oh right, he hadn't eaten yet...walking to the window he rang the small bell. He could make out a little chef's hat over the compact kitchen, which started to rise as its owner, a pudgy brunette, stood on a stepladder.  
"Well, hello there," he said pleasantly, smiling. "I don't believe I've seen your face before."  
Naegi shook his head. "No actually-this is my first day. Makoto Naegi-I run a game." Wow, that sounded lame. But the little chef didn't seem to care.  
"Ah," he said. "I am Teruteru Hanamura, and I run the concessions here at the circus. Coming from the city, it is a step down from the cuisine I usually create, but circus life is exciting, no? Now, would you like something to eat? You look famished."  
"Oh! Um, yeah, that'd be great. Uh...could I get a funnel cake?"  
"Naegi! Naegi, where are you?!"  
Hanamura chuckled. "It appears that the old blowhard is looking for you. Otherwise, I would be happy to make you a funnel cake, but since you're pressed for time, maybe a donut?"  
Naegi nodded, and Hanamura temporarily disappeared. He resurfaced with a donut tucked into a paper while Naegi was hunting down his wallet. "Oh, no need to pay me. This one is on the house, a gift for your first day."  
 _Wow, that was nice..._ Naegi reached to take the donut, but before he could pull away Hanamura put his other hand on top on Naegi's. Hanamura ran his thumb over Naegi's knuckles, and Naegi felt a chill down his spine for all the wrong reasons. "However," the chef said, his voice slightly huskier. "If you would like to give me a tip, you can visit me in my room after your tour. It could also count as a welcoming present, if you so desire." He winked and let go, sinking back under the counter. Naegi ran towards the narrow tent of the sideshow, determined never to go to Hanamura's room for anything, _ever_.  
The sideshow was a narrow walkway, where people were seated in their own booths. At the front a girl with red hair and a blonde boy with glasses were arguing over something, which sounded like a fight about ticket prices. The blonde glanced at Naegi and scoffed, turning back to continue his discussion with the redhead. He didn't seem like a guy Naegi would want to deal with, that was for sure.  
Ishimaru walked up to him, looking at what was in his hand. "This is not the time for food!" he snapped, more upset than usual. "But since it is your first day, I will allow it. But right now I will show you the sideshow, so that you do not run off inside during work hours." As he opened the tent flap to enter, he pulled a small flashlight from his belt and turned it on. "The Sideshow doesn't have spotlights just yet," he explained. "We need to replace them, so for now the sideshow is fairly dark. Worry not-I will show you each person and their sign."  
The two started down, passing by a large boy sitting under a sign, _Hifumi Yamada: The Human Gerbil_. Yamada looked up from his 3DS and waved at Naegi, who in turn waved back. Next to him was a gothic lolita, engaged in a card game with a guy whose hair reminded Naegi of a loaf of bread.  
"Oowada! What have I told you about gambling during work?!" Ishimaru demanded.  
"Christ, I'm on a break," Mondo replied with a wave of his hand, not looking up. "'Sides, I'm gettin' that jackpot! Hit me, Celes!"  
The girl flipped over a card, smiling coolly. "You now have eighteen, Oowada. Are you ready to stop?"  
"No way! I know a three is next-hit me!"  
Celes turned over the next card-a four of clubs. "You lose."  
"Damn it! Here-one more game!" As he started dealing out money, Celes glanced at Naegi with a smile that set him on edge. That girl couldn't be trusted, that was for sure. The sign above her said, _Celestia Ludenberg, the Ultimate Gambler! Best her in any game, win 50,000¥!_  
Up next was an albino girl in glasses and a little blonde boy. Respectively their signs read, _Peko Pekoyama, Sword-Swallower_ , and _Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu, The Boy Blessed with Eternal Youth_. Naegi was about to ask how old the kid was, but a shake of the head and a mouthed "Don't," from Peko stopped him. Kuzuryuu, however, had noticed too.  
"I'm seventeen, asshole," he said, standing up. "Why, you wanna ask if I'm a kid, fuckface?!"  
His language took Naegi aback. "Uh, no, I wasn't gonna-"  
"Oh really. Cuz that candyass look on your face says different! Why don't you ask me to my face next time, rather than ask that dickhole?!"  
Ishimaru didn't take to being called a dickhole and moved Naegi along, to the next stall. _Nekomaru Nidai: The Robot Man_. The stall was empty, however, as was the one beside it: _Akane Owari, Human Contortionist._  
"Owari is on break," Ishimaru explained. "And Nidai is currently undergoing repairs. He should be ready by tomorrow, however."  
They continued to the next stall, where Naegi had to do a double take. It was the same blonde guy from earlier-or, was it? He was fatter, and the clothes were different colors, but other than that...  
"Are you just going to gawk at me all day?" He asked, his voice matching dead-on with the blonde's. "If you are wondering if I am in fact Byakuya Togami, then you would be correct."  
Naegi tore his eyes away to look up at the sign: _The Imposter_.  
"Carry on, I don't with to waste time with you," the Imposter said, waving his hand. After a pause, "Though I will give you a notion of welcome. But that is all." Naegi walked on, thinking he liked this Togami much more than the other.  
 _Yasuhiro Hagakure, Fortune Teller,_ the next sign read. This stall, too,was barren. "As his predictions are only 30% accurate," the Imposter was saying, "Hagakure is also used as target practice by Touko Fukawa. According to Junko Enoshima, as he is the weakest link it is his punishment."  
Naegi gulped, remembering the man with the hair. _Poor guy, why not leave the circus, then?_  
"Ooh, what's that?"  
Naegi turned around to see who had just talked to him, and blanched. Staring right at him was a mermaid. She was wearing a shell bra now, but she still was like nothing he expected to see. And she was staring at his donut.  
"That looks good-can I try a bite?"  
Naegi dumbly nodded, giving her the donut. "Thanks! I haven't eaten in two days! Well, I woke up yesterday, but still." She took a bite out of the donut, and her eyes widened. "This is delicious! We never had anything like this at home! Where has human food been all my life?"  
"Uh...you can have it, if you want," Naegi said, ignoring his growling stomach.  
"Really? Thanks!"  
While she continued eating, Ishimaru looked at Naegi. "She was found on the beach two days ago and Junko brought her here. Her debut will be on opening night."  
"Uh-huh! I'm really excited," the mermaid chirped, holding the now empty wrapper. "Everyone here is so nice, and getting to meet humans will be great! Oh hey, Ishi, do you know when Sakura-chan gets off her break?"  
"Oogami is currently assisting with the roller coaster, Asahina. She should be finished within an hour."  
"Great!" She looked back to Naegi with a smile. "Sakura-chan is the World's Strongest Woman. Cool, huh? I wish I could go and help her out, but uh..." She waved her fin and giggled sheepishly. "You know."  
Naegi looked at the sign for _Sakura Oogami: World's Strongest Woman_. _Hmm…_ the 'Woman' character looked a little weird, somehow. Maybe it was the lack of light playing tricks on him.   
"I can't wait to get a sign," Asahina gabbed on. "Daiya said he's gonna paint it red, with seashells and seaweed and a little treasure chest! Cute, huh? Maybe he could paint some donuts and-"  
"Anyway, that is the show," Ishimaru said, preventing Asahina from talking Naegi's ear off. "I will take you back outside." He started towards the exit. Asahina waved goodbye to Naegi, and he waved back.  
The two had now made it to the entranc. "Come back at nine tomorrow, your contract will be ready, and your training will begin. I'm sorry the games aren't yet ready-they will be, however, when you return." Since Naegi lived a half hour's bike ride away would be living at his home, rather than staying with the circus like most of the crew.   
Naegi nodded with a smile. "I'll be there," he replied, getting on his bike and heading off. What a great day, and his job looked seriously awesome, as well-well, the place he worked, but he bet his job would be cool, too! This was going to be a really good summer, he could already sense it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *btw, 50,000¥ is about $400 USD. The more you know~


	3. The Bear and the Twins of Despair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, here's Chapter Three, the last one (hopefully) to be in only one specific POV. Now I know not every character has appeared yet, or will in this chapter, but the select few who haven't will very soon. That is, the cast of the first two games. As I started this fic before Another Episode came out, I hadn't even taken that cast into consideration. Not to worry-the DR:AE gang will show up in due time! 
> 
> Also, yes, as you must've gathered from Chapter One, Daiya is alive (hey, I did say this fic was gonna have spoilers :P). Honestly I really like the guy, even if he wasn't in much of the game at all, so he's gonna be getting just as much attention as the main cast. And, depending on how things go, so will Kuzuryuu's sister. But I haven't decided her fate yet, so who knows~?
> 
> One last thing-600¥ is about $5 USD. Sorry to stick that up here, but I don't like how notes look at the bottom here ^^;;

At twenty minutes after nine Naegi was practically sprinting for the entrance of the circus, having to turn back at one point to chain up his bike. Mentally he was kicking himself for pressing the snooze button one too many times, especially when he hadn't even signed a contract. Something like this could cost him the job, which he sincerely hoped wouldn't be the case. But so far Ishimaru was nowhere to be seen-maybe he was inside the office already? Not taking any chances, the newest employee made his way to the portable, trying the door. Fortunately for him, it was open.  
 _What do I say?_  He thought, walking into the building. _Do I tell the truth, or make up an excuse? Well, the truth isn't very pretty, but they might try to investigate it, and I could get in trouble for lying..._  
Fortunately for Naegi, he walked into the office, only to find that Ishimaru wasn't there. Instead, sitting in a swivel chair with her feet on the table was the girl in pigtails from yesterday, reading some fashion magazine. Looking up she smiled at Naegi. "Hey there! You must be the new guy!"  
Naegi nodded, and she stood. "I'm Junko Enoshima-your boss. Glad to see you're on time," she added, with a hint of sarcasm.  
"Yeah, I, uh-wait. You're the boss?" That was a surprise. "But I thought Ishimaru-"  
"The safety regulations guy? As if! Nope, I run this place." She grinned and extended her hand. Naegi tentatively took it, seriously unsure about whether he could trust her. She seemed as if her demeanor was...forced, almost. As if she was hiding something.  
"Well, you need to sign that contract, right?" Junko sat back down in the chair and opened a drawer, revealing a stack of papers. "Here we go! Take a seat right there, if you want!"  
Naegi sat down in the plastic chair on the opposite side of the desk, immediately picking up a pen, and started hunting down the dotted lines. He stopped and looked up, however, when he noticed his boss pursing her lips. "Everything okay...?"  
"Huh?" The blonde blinked, then shook her head, smiling. "Oh, no-it's just...you're not reading the contract. Ju-ah, _I_ usually put some things in there you should know, so..."  
"Fuck!"  
Both people jumped as Junko emerged from a side door. The standing Junko was glaring at the sitting Junko.  
"Are you kidding me?! You do a terrible impersonation of me! I bet the fatass could do better than you, and you're supposed to be my twin!"  
Sitting Junko shrugged. "This is the first time we've bothered with a twin switch like this." Her tone completely changed from the bubbly girl Naegi had been talking with earlier. "It's not going to be perfect, Junko."  
"My ass! You suck as an actress! You are literally no fun! If we were to actually try and pull this off, no one would buy it!" Standing Junko turned to Naegi as sitting Junko removed her wig, revealing short black hair.  
"It would've been cute, right? Me and Mukuro pulling a twin switch like in those Parent Trap movies? You get it, right kid?"  
He nodded, not sure what other action would be appropriate at the moment. "Um...yeah." Actually, now he could see some differences between the two. Sitting Junko-Mukuro, apparently-had freckles, and was less... _endowed_ than her sister. Besides the hairstyle and personality, both were identical enough to pull something like that off. But at least now he would know better for next time...which he suspected may be very soon, and very often.  
Junko nodded. "See? He gets it! I mean, I could play you better than you could play me! Trying to get him to read a contract...feh!"  
"So, let him sell his soul to any employer without checking the fine print. Okay." Mukuro's sarcasm was rewarded with a slap on the back of her head by her sister.  
"I'm not making him sell his soul! Besides, that blowhard Ishi probably went though all that his work would need, anyway! So, all he needs to do is sign off, and then Hinata can show him around the carnival area! It's set up, so who cares?"  
Mukuro shrugged, and both looked to Naegi, who felt completely lost at the moment. Not liking the feel of eyes on him, he took the contract, and at least skimmed through it. Despite Junko's "Oh, for fuck's sake..." at least Mukuro smiled a bit.

* * *

  
"So, you're the new guy?"  
The guy standing in front of Naegi actually looked pretty normal, compared to the people who worked here. He seemed normal, as well. At least, not as crazy as everyone else.  
"Yeah," he replied, nodding. "Makoto Naegi." The guy extended his hand, and Naegi shook it.  
"Hajime Hinata. I'm in charge of the games here. Junko told me to show you around." He looked behind him to a small row of games that led to a miniature roller coaster, the kind usually seen at county fairs. "Since your game is at the end of the line, we can just check everything out." He started walking, Naegi having the good sense to follow.  
The first game was simple enough, a bottle toss game. "I run that one," Hinata said, with a small hint of pride. "Rates for each game are the same-600¥ for one try. That means however much chances-for example, my bottle toss game would give five rings per try, while Kuwata's baseball game give you three balls per try. The roller coaster costs the same, too. And if someone wins, they get a prize." Hinata picked up a little plush toy, a baby penguin. "We offer small, medium, and large, but each win gets you only snall. Three of one size gets you something bigger. That make sense?"  
Naegi nodded, as next they came to a glass tank, where an adorable looking blonde girl was seated. "I was put in charge of this one, too." The sign simply read, _Dunk the Child_.  
"Ooh, I didn't know Big Bro Hinata had a little bro!" the girl chirped.  
"I'm an only child."  
"Y'know what I mean. Hiya, Little Bro Hinata! You even have the same dumb hair he does, too! Betcha you can't dunk me! Or are ya a big chicken like alla the dumb boys here? Heh, I bet-!"  
She shrieked as she was submerged in the water, and a large softball fell to the ground. The two boys turned to see the redhead from earlier cracking up. The little girl resurfaced, glaring at him.  
"Leon, you shithead! You tol' me I had to sit there an' wait for Souda!"  
"Yeah-didn't expect a little snake like you to buy it, though! Ha! You should've seen the look on your face! Oh man..." Composing himself Leon grinned at the two others. "Heh, sorry. The name's Leon Kuwata. I just couldn't resist. Having a game next to the little gremlin makes me wanna tear my hair out."  
"I'm the same age as you! An' I wouldn' be so mean if you weren't a big ol'  _ **weenie**_!"  
"What the fuck did you just call me?!"  
"What's going on here?!"  
Leon let out a long sigh as the redheaded girl from the sideshow came running. Instantly the demeanor of the little girl changed. "Big Siiiiiiiis! Leon played a mean trick on me an' got me all wet!"  
The girl ran to the tank, then glared at Leon. "You should be ashamed of yourself! We have work to do, and playing dirty tricks like that is irresponsible!"  
Leon rolled his eyes. "Sorry, Mom."  
She ignored him, now looking at Hinata. "And  _you_ , letting something like that happen! Is that really the kind of manager you should be?"  
"Woah!" Hinata said, putting his hands up. "I didn't even know any of this was happening!"  
She didn't buy it. "But as a manager, you should know to keep things like this from happening! In a position of authority, you need some responsibility!" The blonde had crawled out of the water and out of the tank and ran to the redhead. The other girl led her off. "Come on, Saionji, I'll help you clean up."  
The blonde looked back and stuck her tongue victoriously at the boys, before turning sweet towards her companion. Leon crossed his arms.  
"Devilspawn." To the others, he shrugged apologetically. "Didn't mean to drag you guys into this. I was hoping to pull that when Koizumi was on break, but that obviously didn't work. Speakin' of breaks, I'm off. Later!"  
Hinata sighed as Leon disappeared. This was too much for one day. "As I was saying, this game is straightforward. It's also pretty popular, apparently. Next to that is Leon's game." Which turned out to be a game where you tried to throw baseballs at bowling pins dressed up like baseball players. Up next was a booth where a blue-haired girl was setting up martini glasses amongst regular cups. Naegi did a double take upon seeing her-no way... "Maizono?"  
Hearing her name, Maizono looked up and beamed. "Naegi! Oh my gosh! Did you get a job here, too?"  
"Yeah! I run a game. I didn't know you were working here."  
"Uh-huh! I got a job here to make some money to kickstart my idol career! You know, if you get a ball into the martini glass, you win a fish?"  
"Oh yeah, I think I won a fish back in elementary school. I think it managed to live for about two years."  
Maizono giggled. "Isn't this great? We get to spend all summer together!"  
Naegi grinned. "Yeah, that would be cool, huh?"  
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Hinata scratch his head, and remembered why it was he was here, anyway. "Oh-I gotta get to my booth, but we can talk later, okay?"  
Maizono nodded, waving. "See you around, Naegi!" she called, going back to arranging glasses. Naegi waved back, walking down. As the two walked near the final booth, a girl with long purple hair and a rather serious expression passed by.  
Both looked at her, Hinata explaining, "That's Kirigiri. She's in charge of the roller coaster. One of the few people sane enough to handle it, if you ask me. Oh, hey-here we are."  
The two looked at the booth, where a large man with a black pompadour was arranging stuffed animals on shelfs. He looked at the two with a grin. "Mornin', Hinata. This the new kid I've been hearing about?"  
Hinata nodded. "Yeah, Makoto Naegi. He'll be running this game."  
"Cool." The man extended his hand. "Daiya Oowada. Nice to meetcha, kid."  
Naegi shook his hand, feeling slightly intimidated despite how mature Daiya appeared. The fact that he looked and dressed like a gang leader was a bit unnerving. Daiya looked at the booth. "Well, finished the rest of the stuffed animals. Christ, dontcha think Junko coulda chosen a less creepy mascot for this place? Fuckin' thing could give kids nightmares."  
It was the first time Naegi really looked at the bear that he had seen all over the circus, and it ws far more unnerving than any gangster. Half cute little bear, half predator, with a red eye and sharp teeth. Why choose something like  _that_  as a mascot? And to make matters worse, there was a whole row of that face in his book, staring at him.  
"Ole Monokuma's the mascot of our circus," Daiya was saying. "Creepy as fuck, but Junko loves it. Don't know why, an' I don' think I wanna know. Eh, I'll be takin' my leave now. Hope I can get a donut before Asahina eats 'em all. Christ, which fuck thought it was a good idea to give her one..."  
As he left, Naegi hoped he didn't look too guilty. "Asahina won't stop eating donuts now," Hinata said. "Like an obsession, really. Anyway, this is your game. People shoot water into Monokuma's teeth, first one to pop their balloon gets a prize. It's pretty simple. Think you can handle it?" Naegi nodded, and Hinata continued. "Okay then. I'm gonna go for a bit-Souda said he wanted to show me something. Why not get a feel for the game?"  
As his manager left, Naegi entered the booth, looking around it. There was a box of spare balloons and gallons of water connected to the guns, which he figured he'd end up filling every few games. This job wouldn't be so bad. He looked next to him at Maizono, who smiled as he waved. Bringing his hand down his elbow bumped against one of the Monokuma heads, and he flinched.  
That bear was the last thing he'd get used to.

 


	4. Imposters and Inappropriateness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! Let me just say, I am so so sorry for not finishing my updates like I promised. I actually got super busy yesterday, but not to worry! The three previois chapters are all here! 
> 
> Also, I just want to clarify something. Though it isn't stated in the game itself (I think tjey use he/him pronouns for Twogami), this fic, as my other ones will, has Twogami use they/them pronouns, and they're also agender. Adding to that, because I don't headcanon Chihiro Fujisaki as trans (only because of the fact that Chihiro was meant to be commentary of Japan's sexism and gender roles), Chihiro won't be trans in this fic. That being said, I do have a trans headcanon for a character coming up that I will use in this fic, but I just wanted to touch up on this subject early on. Sorry for the inconvenience if you really like trans!Chihiro, but it's just not my personal headcanon.
> 
> Okay, with that said, enjoy Chapter Four! Oh-warning: this chapter has some violence at the end, so be careful if you don't like that stuff.

Though it was morning, the only sunlight the sideshow received was through small tears in the worn-out tent ceiling. Otherwise light came from spotlight, or, in Hagakure and Celestia's cases, candles strategically placed in their slots. Unfortunately, neither could be utilized until evening, as both electricity and wax needed to be sustained for as long as possible. The lack of light did nothing to hinder the girl running through the tent at the moment, even though she did trip on a cord along the floor and fall flat on her face.  
The Imposter, who had managed to buy a booklight and was currently amusing themself by reading a book, didn't bother to look up as they said, "Have you ever considered walking when it's too dark to see, Mioda?"  
The girl, her face still in the ground, answered them, though it was an incoherent mumble. The Imposter looked up from their book. "Come again?"  
Finally, she brought her head up, grinning as if she hadn't tripped at all. "Ibuki was saying," she replied, "that she knows that you can trip on things. But I had to hurry, or else I wouldn't get to see Byakuya-chan before practice!"  
The Imposter merely raised an eyebrow. What else could they expect from someone like Ibuki, anyhow? Ever since they had arrived at this circus, the wild-looking girl with multi-coloured hair twisted to resemble oni horns had always visited every so often, at first to laugh at the impressions (not at The Imposter, they were happy to discover, but at their talent), though eventually they had become good friends over time. In fact, if they were not currently impersonating Togami, they would be far more affectionate...well, as long as the person they were posing as was more affectionate.  
That was nothing to say how affectionate Ibuki was, for as soon as she had pulled herself off the ground she had her arms around The Imposter's neck, pulling them into a happy, yet suffocating, hug. Used to this kind of treatment, however, The Imposter merely sighed and put their book down. Playing as Togami had given them an appreciation for classic literature, which was most likely the only decent quality found in the heir. Right now they were reading _Tartuffe_ , a play which rather amused them, considering the subject matter. But it would have to wait.  
"Thank you for that, Mioda. You can let go now." Which she did-but not before giving them a quick squeeze. Pulling away Ibuki sat on the floor.  
"Byakuya-chan should get another chair-one just for Ibuki when she visits. Ooh-maybe a spinny chair! That way Ibuki can go round and round, then get dizzy and throw up!"  
"And let me guess," The Imposter teased, adjusting their glasses in a frightening resemblance to Togami. "You would write a song about it, wouldn't you?"  
"Yup!"  
It took all the willpower in the world for The Imposter to keep from laughing. Of everyone they had ever met, Ibuki was the only one who had come close to getting them to break character, not counting the times that they had done this. Yet, it still hadn't happened, and they were confident it never would. "Instead of fantasizing about staining the floor of my booth with your lunch, is there any other reason why you decided to visit?"  
The two had been doing this long enough that Ibuki knew what they meant. "Ooh! You mean you're gonna do it?" The Imposter looked around, just to make sure whoever heard them wasn't immature enough to tease them about this. Everything looking secure, they nodded. The only time character would be broken was if they themselves broke it, such as now. "Fortunately for you, I learned something new today. Are you ready?"  
Ibuki nodded eagerly, bringing her hands to her chest and balling them into fists in anticipation. As far as The Imposter could tell, this was the only time they would ever do something like this. In fact, their job in the sideshow was merely impersonating Togami, who couldn't care less if someone played as him; if anything, it only served to fuel his superiority complex. But they knew that Ibuki seemed to appreciate their talent, not finding it odd or funny, but _fun_. Enjoyable, in fact. Something that added to themself as a whole. How someone as playful as her could manage that was something they couldn't understand.  
Taking a deep breath, The Imposter closed their eyes and concentrated. They had no time to alter their appearance, but they could definitely alter their voice. With a change in their face, they opened their eyes, grinning and growing excited. "Sakura-chan!" They said, in a dead-on imitation of Asahina. Ever since she had arrived, they'd practiced her voice, as they did with all circus members, working tirelessly to sound just like her. It paid off, as Ibuki gasped, then beamed in recognition. They continued.  
"Sakura-chan! Did you bring more donuts today? Ishi said I couldn't have anymore, because it pollutes my tank! But...they don't have to know if you give them to me out here, right...?"  
Asahina looked up imploringly at her friend from the ocean, where she was currently seated in the shoreline. Her tail was in the water, for though she was capable of being out of it for up to six hours, the mermaid always preferred water to be close by. Even moreso now, since she was an hour away from dying when the Oowada brothers found her.  
Sakura Oogami sat down on the beach, having slipped her shoes off already. Despite her masculine appearance, there was still an air of nobility and grace about her, which made her somewhat less intimidating...that is, if someone bothered to get to know her, which few at the circus had. It had surprised her, actually, that Asahina had been so open to talking with her when they met. Not that she would complain, of course: the companionship was greatly appreciated.  
"I'm sorry, but I didn't," Sakura replied. "Unfortunately I was needed in the Bigtop-they needed help installing the trapeze."  
"That's fine," Asahina replied, though Sakura could sense disappointment in her voice. "I could ask someone to get some later. You already do enough as it is-I mean, you're the only person I know who would actually bring me here."  
Sakura smiled. "And I'm happy to do it."  
"I know you are-that's why I'm so glad to have a friend like you!"  
Sakura smiled, until a voice stopped her from thanking Asahina.  
"Pardon me...but may I join you?"  
Both girls turned to see a blonde girl holding a container. Sakura smiled warmly. "Of course you may, Sonia. You don't mind, right, Asahina?"  
Asahina, meanwhile, had her eyes fixated on the container. Huh? Oh-yeah! The more the merrier!"  
Sonia beamed and walked to the pair, sitting down on the sand and presenting the box. "I thought you might be hungry, so I bought an order of teriyaki chicken from Hanamura-san. I am sorry, but he had informed me that he did not have the proper ingredients for donuts, but would be able to purchase them when unbearable poison from his lower half was extracted. When I volunteered to be of assistance, Koizumi-san pulled me aside, telling me she would deal with Hanamura-san. Perhaps she is better at that kind of job?"  
Sakura chuckled at the chef's usual antics, opening the box. It had been a while since she had eaten, and being someone of her build, she needed to eat a lot. "Poison aside, thank you, Sonia. I think there's enough in here for all three of us, if you would like some."  
Asahina carefully took a piece of chicken and looked it over, before popping it into her mouth. "Mmm! This is good! Human food is great!"  
"I find Japanese food to be very good," Sonia said with a smile. "It is just one of the many things I admire about this country."  
Asahina cocked her head, puzzled. "You're not from here?"  
"Me?" Sonia shook her head. "No, I am from the country of Novoselic. I came to Japan a year ago, became a member of this circus, and now I am happier than back there."  
Sakura raised an eyebrow at the mention of Novoselic. There was something she had heard about it not too long ago. But she doubted that Sonia knew about it. After all, you barely heard anything in this place.  
"I think we are all for the better, having joined this circus," Sakura said instead. Both of the other girls nodded in agreement, and for then conversation halted as the three ate and looked out at the sea.

* * *

  
"No, I don't see any problem with my behaviour."  
The chef was perched on a cardboard box, arms crossed as he glared at the girl before him, who only glared back.  
"You tried to get an innocent girl to...do something illicit-"  
"You misheard-I was asking her to suck the venom from my lower half-"  
"Yeah, but from where?!"  
Hanamura sighed, knowing he would get nowhere with a girl like Koizumi. He'd tried, multiple times actually, and she was definitely not falling for anything he tried to pull on her. Oh well, faint heart never won fair lady... "I suppose my approach was a bit-"  
"Underhanded-"  
" _Unconventional_. But I had mentioned my problem numerous times throughout the day, and no one assisted me in my time of need. I suppose that is to be expected from such a...a  _rural_  crowd."  
Koizumi rolled her eyes. "Well, you can't continually ask people to do that-it's inappropriate! Besides, if it bugged you so much, why didn't you try to, you know...take care of it yourself?"  
 _She's such a virgin_ , Hanamura judged by the way she talked about sex. Of course, he really was, as well, but he wouldn't dare admit it. Aloud he said, "Dear Mahiru-"  
"Koizumi."  
"Dear  _Koizumi_ , I don't believe you have had much experience in the art of...amour. After all, the important thing to remember is that the more, the merrier." As soon as he saw her skin flush the color of her hair, he grinned. Yep. Definitely a virgin. As it looked like she was about to lose it, however, the door opened.  
"Hey." The two watched as Akane Owari entered the storage room, looking over the contents. The brunette had noticed an altercation, but didn't seem to care as she plucked a few bags of chips from the shelf. Finally she looked towards Koizimi and Hanamura. "You guys can keep goin'. I don' mind."  
Koizumi blinked. "Um, Owari, why are you taking chips? Aren't you supposed to pay for those?"  
Owari grinned. "I do pay for 'em. Hanamura gets some of my paycheck an' buys me snacks that he stores here! See?" She jabbed her thumb behind her to a paper on the wall, with _Owari's Shelf. **DO NOT TOUCH.**_ written on it.  
Koizumi frowned, confused. "Can't you buy your own food?"  
"Yeah...but that's a lotta work. 'Sides, he knows the best stuff to get. Bein' a chef, an' stuff."  
Actually, Hanamura knew what to get, because his mother would always buy him those kinds of snacks growing up. Again, not something he'd admit. "But of course! My palate is top-notch! It has to be, for the quality of goods I serve!"  
"Well, just make sure when you serve those goods, you stay work-appropriate," Koizumi interjected.  
Hanamura jumped from his seat. "A gentleman always keeps his word."  
Seeing nothing more of interest in the conversation, Owari left the storage room, opening a bag of chips. Though she nearly bit her tongue as a booming voice called out, "OWARI! THERE YOU ARE!"  
Rolling her eyes, the contortionist turned to face the only person with a voice that big-technically, he wasn't even a person. What he was, however, was a colossal metal man dressed in a jacket, muscle shirt and jeans. Though why a cyborg like Nekomaru Nidai needed clothes she didn't know.  
"OWARI! I have been looking EVERYWHERE for you! We were supposed to train for your act an hour ago! How will you handle a trapeze act if you don't practice it?!"  
"Jeez, old man, you're so loud!" Owari complained. "An' we can practice tomorrow-circus don' open for another three days."  
This never sat well with Nidai. "But it's important to train when you can!" He thundered. "This lackadaisical approach could lead to a disaster!"  
"Hasn't happened yet," she replied. "I'll pull it off. Always do."  
"But without proper training, how will you-"  
" _GYAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH_!"  
Their conversation was cut short by an ear-splitting scream, which came from near the games. Naturally, Nidai and Owari, along with other members of the circus, crowded around. But no one could see anything, as Mukuro refused to let anyone through. Mikan was busy leading Maizono away from the water balloon game, the aspiring idol shaking and looking absolutely terrified-it was obvious who had been screaming.  
"There's nothing to see here," Mukuro was saying. Maizono spun around, pulling from Mikan.  
"How can you say that?! That..." She pointed to the game. "That...you know what that is! How can you stay so calm?!"  
Everyone looked around, confused, and started murmuring to each other. Mikan started to lead Maizono away, and Mukuro sighed. "I wish someone else had found it," she admitted. "Really...she is one of the last people I would want to see that. If any of you want to see, go ahead. I need to get Junko."  
Nobody really wanted to, as nobody knew what to expect. Finally Peko stepped forward. "I can look," she offered, going behind the booth. Seconds later she returned, visibly paler. Others dared to look, with a range of responses: Leon screamed, Mondo couldn't stop swearing after seeing it, Souda fainted, even Saionji was trembling.  
Only Togami, Celes, and Sonia were anywhere near okay. Togami remained silent, Celes merely said, "My, how fascinating." Only Sonia was truly excited, and couldn't stop talking about how wonderful this was, to the horror of her coworkers.  
How wonderful it was to work with renowned serial killer Genocider Syo.

 


	5. Aftermath of a Bloody Discovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last of the 2014 chapters, and where the fic had a year and a half long hiatus. I always wanted to finish this fic, but I got hit with writer's block each time I tried to. Luckily, thanks to encouragement from a friend, I found a way. 
> 
> And adding onto last chapter's notes, this is the chapter where Chihiro's gender comes up. I don't want to make Chihiro's gender much of a big deal-after all, this is AO3 in 2016, not Tumblr in 2013-so please just stop reading the fic if you don't like that Chihiro isn't trans, and that's all. I really don't want this subject to blow up on a fanfiction, of all things.
> 
> Please enjoy this chapter, and again, warning for blood! And more spoilers too, for both games.

For the rest of the day, the tone changed drastically. Taking an immediate charge of the situation upon arrival, Junko ordered that the body be taken to a city that was a day away and set up to look like the guy died there. Mondo and Sonia were charged with the task, as it seemed like Sonia knew the most about Genocider Syo besides Syo themself, who wasn't making an appearance anytime soon. Rules were also set in place: no one could even hint that Syo worked there, or that someone had died, and under no circumstances whatsoever was Ishimaru allowed to find out.  
"He almost blabbed to the cops when that lion got loose," she explained. "No way am I going down for this!"  
No one really argued, as there was a general consensus that Ishimaru was the last person who should know. He took his role of Safety Regulation to extreme levels from time to time. Which was why the worst liars were charged with cleaning up.  
"This sucks!" Souda complained, trying not to throw up as he started to scrub at the bloodstained wall. The memory of the corpse was still fresh in his mind, the guy just hanging there, lifeless, eyes wide open...God, he was surprised he wasn't traumatized yet. He couldn't even look at the blood for too long, its garish pink color gave him a headache.  
"Cleaning is never fun, Souda-dono," The Human Gerbil replied, demonstrating how unused to this type of work he was as he made clumsy use of his brush. "But I suppose it must be done, in order to keep the circus clean."  
The mechanic stared at Yamada. "Are you completely ignorin' the fact that we're cleaning up after a serial killer?!"  
"Well, he was no one I knew, so I wasn't too worried in the first place."  
Souda inched away from Yamada, and would have been more than happy to get on another topic, until Yamada piped up. "Who do you think Syo is?"  
Souda replied almost without thinking. "Tanaka."  
Yamada raised an eyebrow. "I should've expected as much."  
"What the fuck's that s'posed to mean?!"  
"You appear to have it out for Tanaka-dono. Though I admit he is strange, and has the potential to kill, I have played enough Ace Attorney to know he is too obvious a suspect. This act is too simple for him-don't you think he would try something far more elaborate than merely stabbing someone?"  
Souda huffed. "Still say there's somethin' wrong with that guy," he muttered. "What about you, Phoenix Wright-who's your suspect?"  
Yamada tapped his chin as he started working on removing Syo's message. "Hm. Well, this is the first time Syo has struck in a year, and we only added on a few people at the time. Tanaka-dono, I said, is out. Nevermind-dono is a possibility-" he put up a finger to stop Souda from going into crazy defense of the blonde "-but these attacks were never reported in her home country. Besides, a Yamato Nadeshiko type as herself wouldn't kill in such a way, I don't think. Then there's you, but considering you were labeled a bad liar, and your attitude about this whole thing, you are out of the question."  
Souda was unsure whether Yamada was being complimentary or insulting by that remark.  
Yamada went on. "Fukawa-dono faints at any type of blood, though her knife-throwing skills do raise questions. Then, there is Celestia-dono..." He sighed dreamily, thinking about her. "But she is far too classy to attempt something like this. No, Celestia-dono would create a murder far more extravagant than anyone else!" He had taken a pose at that point which was reminiscent of Kamina, which made Souda a bit embarrassed to be around the guy. No social skills whatsoever. He recovered and continued. "That leaves Asahina-dono, who wouldn't have been able to get there. Maizono-dono, maybe...but she is too cute to try something like this! Then that only leaves..."  
"Naegi-woah, woah, woah, wait a sec. He doesn't seem like the kinda guy to pull somethin' like that."  
"No, he doesn't, does he? But even the most normal of people may be hiding something. And furthermore, whose game was the body found?" He dunked his brush back into the soapy bucket of water as Souda shook his head in disbelief. "Either way, I recommend that you not trust anyone, Souda-dono. With a killer amongst our ranks, who knows who may fall next?"

* * *

  
"A serial killer?! What a tewwible thing to happen!"  
Chihiro nodded sadly, looking to the person who had spoken-rather, the thing that had spoken. Standing on the circular device in the big top was a little while rabbit with wings and a dress, looking reminiscent of a magical girl.  
"Y-yes, it was terrifying," Chihiro replied, shuddering at the memory of the boy hung up on the wall. "I just hope that this is the only death..."  
"Oh? Are you okay? Is there something else?"  
"Huh?" The programmer frowned. "N-no, Usami, e-everything is okay..."  
Usami cocked her head. "You can always tell me. Or, Nanami might wanna help! Would she, sir?"  
The 'sir' caught Chihiro by surprise-having been so used to being referred to as a girl, it still surprised him-for Chihiro was actually a boy-when Usami referred to him as a boy. But he had programmed it himself, and no one knew-not even Souda, who'd been working on the device too. But Chihiro would admit the truth in time. Not yet, however. "Yes, I'll bring Nanami."  
Chihiro took out the remote he'd been working on and pressed a button. Instantly an image of a teenage girl flickered on, then fully formed next to Usami. She was asleep, even while standing up, which was a bug Chihiro was working on. As Nanami had been created first, when he was just starting out creating. Another problem was that she had to buffer often, and wasn't as high energy as Usami, even when connected to the same hologram display. Hopefully issues in her code could be addressed before the circus opened.  
Nanami woke up, yawning before drowsily looking at Chihiro. "...hello."  
Chihiro smiled. "Hello, Nanami. Did you sleep well?"  
"...uh-huh...how are you?"  
"Good, but there's been a problem. Uh..." He glanced at Usami, who got the message he was trying to convey.  
"There's been a murder," the little rabbit told Nanami. "By a serial killer."  
"...that's not...good." Chihiro winced, hearing the constant pauses in Nanami's speech. Those needed to be reduced as soon as possible. "Are you...okay?"  
"Me? Yeah...I'm fine..." Chihiro took a deep breath, deciding to tell them why he was still upset. He had designed both to be helpful, as he planned for them to give information at the opening of the circus. Then they could be used for therapy by other employees if they weren't happy about something, mostly since their bosses were...unapproachable, at best.  
"Y-you see, I'm a little upset still, because the victim...he had a family, and when they find out..."  
"Oh...well, I know that's pretty hard to think about, and it's okay," Usami said. "Never be afwaid to admit how you feel about something. No one here will think any less of you."  
"Yeah..." Nanami added. "As for...the victim...I...think that...his family...will be upset...but that...is just...life to...grieve. But...in the...future...they will...still remember the...good times...which will...balance the pain..."  
Chihiro nodded, already starting to feel a bit better. "You're right, I think..."  
"Plus, if you still feel bad, you may try to send something of condowences," Usami piped up. "It will help both you and his family!"  
Chihiro stood up. "I think I will," he replied with a small smile. "Thank you, you two..." Now feeling better, Chihiro picked up his laptop. Now he needed to work on Nanami-that buffering needed work.

* * *

  
A knock on the door startled Fukawa, and she stopped frantically packing her suitcase momentarily. "You c-c-can't c-come in!" she called, going back to desperately shoving clothes and books away.  
"Are you sure? I would only ask a moment of your time."  
"C-Celes? What are you doing here? What do you want?"  
I noticed that you had run off in a panic a bit ago," the cool voice replied. "I just wanted to make sure you were all right. Blood has an effect on you, I've noticed."  
Fukawa was tempted to open the door. Talking to someone who actually cared...but-  
"G-g-go away! I need to be alone right now, or-or else..."  
"Or else...?"  
"Nothing! Go away!"  
The knife thrower listened for the sound of footsteps, but there were none. Instead, Celes said two words which chilled Fukawa to the core.  
"I know."  
No...she couldn't know! No one did! She hadn't even told Togami yet...how could Celes...?! "W-what do you kn-know?"  
"Would you prefer I admit it out in the hallway? Who knows what one can hear..."  
A few moments later, and the door opened. As Celes entered, Fukawa slammed it shut. "W-What do you want?" she asked, glaring at the gambler.  
"Like I said, I wanted to check on you. And it's a good thing I did." She sat on the bed, beside the suitcase. "You weren't planning on leaving, were you?"  
"How did you find out?"  
"Oh, about you being Syo? It is quite obvious." Celes had produced a nail file and nonchalantly filed her black nails, seemingly unaware of the terror the other girl was experiencing. "I mean, the last murder took place just days before you joined the circus. I had suspicions then, but this is the first kill in months. It is a bit too coincidental, is it not?"  
Fukawa shook her head. "No one was s-supposed to find out!" she cried out. "With nobody here that was...no one I-she- c-could like I thought...!"  
"That you could keep her away." Celes stood, crossing the room and putting her hand on Fukawa's shoulder. The knife thrower couldn't help but notice how icy the gambler's touch was. "And it has worked for a while, until that delivery boy became known to you. Why, then your-I mean, Syo's-urges were uncontrollable. And you honestly think that running will keep you from meeting more strangers? Oh my dear, there are more people out there than you can imagine. Besides...what would Junko think? Mukuro?... _Togami_?"  
The mention of the last name earned a gasp from Fukawa, as Celes had expected. "I-I hadn't thought about B-Byakuya-sama..."  
Clicking her tongue, Celes lifted up Fukawa's chin. "Obviously he is special to you-you have yet to become Syo around him. Why..." She leaned forward, as if divulging a great secret. "...he may just be your soulmate."  
There was her trump card. The lovesick wretch brought her hand to her heart, a blush growing in her face. "My soulmate..." she repeated, too wrapped in the thought to notice Celes walking towards the window.  
"Now do you see why you cannot leave? My dear girl, there is so much left for you to do." Her red eyes scanned the world outside, landing on the heir in question. A smile slowly crept onto her features. "Of course, if you ever want to win him over, there is one thing you must do immediately."  
"What?" How pathetic. Mention she could help Fukawa win her prince charming and she became her savior. Celes had to control the smirk wanting to appear on her face as she turned back to Fukawa.  
"All right, here is my plan."

* * *

  
That evening, a pounding on the door of the infirmary made Mikan jump, then sigh. She would recognize that knock anywhere. Opening the door, Junko immediately walked in, not sparing as much as a hello, taking a seat on the counter.  
"It's...pretty late to be up, isn't it?" The nurse asked, closing the door. "O-or not, I mean it's only nine thirty, b-but uh-"  
"Christ, Mikan, calm down." Junko rolled her eyes. "Just ask the question, kay?"  
"O-oh...sorry..." Mikan rubbed her arm, embarrassed yet again.  
"Psh, it's fine, just work on that. We've been making progress on that self-esteem of yours. Don't blow it."  
Mikan nodded, then noticed the laptop Junko had just opened up and was working on. "Um...is everything okay?  
"Huh? Oh, yeah. But I got something to show you."  
"R-really?"  
"Yeah, c'mere a sec." Mikan wasted no time in scrambling up onto the counter next to Junko, peering at the screen. The window finished buffering, and a little white bunny rabbit dressed like a magical girl appeared. The little thing brought a smile to Mikan's face. "How cute..." she murmured.  
Junko snorted. "Yeah, that's the problem. Chihiro had mentioned she was making something for the show. And this little shit-" she pointed at the rabbit "-is the least interesting thing I've ever seen. I mean, this isn't Disneyland! Which is why I had a plan."  
Junko unrolled a piece of paper with a crudely drawn Monokuma standing on the rabbit, which was now split in half as the bear was, and who seemed to be crying. "Sweet, huh? Thought of it myself! Instead of this dumb thing, we turn Usami into Monomi, and have her get beat up by Monokuma a lot! It'll be great!"  
Mikan blinked, looking from the paper to Junko, and back. The blonde looked so proud of herself, and it made Mikan want to keep her smiling, but...it seemed a little cruel. That poor little bunny looked so sad, being beaten up for doing nothing wrong.  
Junko pursed her lips. "You don't like it," she said. Mikan shook her head violently.  
"N-no, it's nice b-but I...I..." Oh God, had she upset her? Of course she did, she always did. She always upset everyone. Even the one person who had bothered to care about her... She was so pathetic.  
"Yeah, you know, maybe he should be smoking a cigar." Junko plucked up a pen off the counter and scribbled a cigar in the bear's mouth. Mikan blinked, then suddenly burst out laughing until tears started falling. "Woah, Mikan, you okay?"  
"I..." she rubbed her eye with her palm, embarrassed that the tears just wouldn't stop. "I thought you...I thought..."  
A loud snort from Junko stopped her, and the ringmaster let out a loud guffaw to accompany it. "Holy fuck, why would I be mad?! You gotta stop worrying, silly!" She playfully smacked the back of the nurse's head, then rolled her paper up and gave it to Mikan. "Sneak this and the laptop into Chihiro's room, got it? That way she'll know to make this." As Mikan hopped off the counter Junko smacked her butt, causing her to jump once again. "Then come back to me. I'm soooo bored."  
Mikan scurried out of the room, but as she closed the door she giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. Junko was such a wonderful person, why did no one like her? Well, as long as she was liked by Junko, that was all that mattered.  
Unrolling the paper she looked at the picture, then smiled and pulled a pencil from her pocket. Junko would want Monomi to suffer more...

 


	6. Conversations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is: the final chapter, thus far! Now all that's left for me to do is write the next chapter, which hopefully won't take long at all. I have some ideas that I'm excited to use, so yay!
> 
> And, as I said, my other fic will get updated as well. Though after this one, because I really want to get Chapter 7 going for how it leads into chapter 8.
> 
> So, let me just thank all of you who are reading this fic, and I can't wait to get writing for you guys!

It didn't feel right, sitting in the back of the van like this. Especially considering how only a few minutes before a corpse had been there. But no, here Mondo was, Sonia right next to him, and they were sitting in silence. Why wouldn't they be? How the fuck do you make small talk at a time like this?  
It had been a surprise to the biker when Sonia had told Junko she could take care of the body. If anything he'd expect Kuzuryuu or Togami or, hell, Celes to have outside connections. But Junko let her, telling Mondo to go and keep an eye on her. Considering, though, the way he couldn't stop drumming his fingers or darting his eyes around, though, it was more like the other way around.  
Sonia, having been excited about the dead body, was now quiet, composed even, crossed ankles swinging back and forth. The only talking on the trip here was to give and get directions. One time Mondo had tried asking where they were headed. Sonia didn't answer.  
How could a woman stay calm at a time like this? Mondo were pretty sure if he were a girl, he'd faint. Weak constitutions, and all that (His brother had once shaken his head when Mondo had mentioned that. Obviously Daiya was agreeing with him). But really, Sonia was one scary chick. When they had arrived where she wanted, she left the van, telling Mondo to wait. About five minutes later, she came back with some hulk who had a nasty scar through his eye, and didn't bother with an eyepatch. Just thinking of him sent a chill down Mondo's spine. Then Sonia and the hulk talked in some language Mondo didn't understand, and the hulk grabbed the body and took it away, to God knows where. Mondo was about to start the car until Sonia told him to wait for the hulk.  
So they were now stuck doing just that, Mondo still scared as fuck. He kept drumming his fingers on the van, until he felt something on him. Looking down, he made a noise in his throat and tried not to blush-Sonia was holding his hand. "It's going to be okay," she said. "Dmitri will take care of everything."  
Dmitri? Talk about a foreign name! "Uh, yeah, I…hm." Mondo pulled his hand away and rubbed the back of his neck. Man, no wonder Sonia was at the top of most guys' To Do list, if a touch could make him feel all shy and shit. "Hey, so uh…how do you know this guy?"  
"Huh? Oh…" Sonia started messing with her bracelet. "He was a friend of the family. Father saved his life, and he told me if I ever needed help if I came to Japan, to look him up." She smiled a little. "He has connections to the Yakuza, it seems."  
"Huh." That really wasn't a surprise, neither was the fact that Mondo was unnerved yet again when Dmitri came back. He spoke more to Sonia in that language again, she replied, and suddenly she got up and hugged the guy. Dmitri was suprised at first, but returned the hug in time, and nodded a goodbye. Though Mondo swore he saw a hint of a smile.   
Sonia watched the old friend go, then turned to Mondo, smiling. "It has all been taken care of," she said. "We can head back now."  
Mondo didn't have to be told twice. As he got set back up in the driver's seat, he studied the foreigner getting into the van next to him. He only knew she was from some other country-nothing about her family, her past, nothing. Only that she was the circus' magician. But he learned something very important today: she was not someone he wanted to fuck with.

* * *

  
"Kirigiri."  
The ride operater stood as she heard her name was called, turning to see that Peko, of all people, had come to find her. It surprised her a little-they had never really talked, save for brisque good mornings, and Peko was the last person to try and make friends with anyone, so obviously something was up.  
"Pekoyama. What can I help you with?"  
"Your grandfather was a famous detective." Peko wasn't the kind to beat around the bush, it seemed. Neither was Kirigiri-in an instant she knew exactly what Peko was implying.  
"I'm guessing you want to know if I am, too?" A curt nod from the sword swallower and Kirigiri's suspicions were confirmed. "Yes. My entire family is a clan of master detectives-save for my father. But I think I know why you want my help."   
Peko stiffened ever so slightly, and in that instant Kirigiri knew she was hiding something. However, she wouldn't press it-she needed Peko's help, not to drive her away. "You do?"  
"Well, I don't want this place to close down, either." Peko relaxed back to her neutral position. "So you know what I'm requesting?"  
"That I try to find Syo, right?"  
"Also that I assist you."  
Kirigiri raised an eyebrow. That was an interesting turn. "You want to help me?" Maybe this had to do with Peko's secret. Honestly quiet people like Peko were the first Kirigiri would assume hid something. In fact, Peko was the kind of person she would suspect to be a murderer-calculating, almost emotionless… _almost_. There was still something inside her that made her human, but not even a detective like Kirigiri could quite put her finger on it. Whatever it was, perhaps working together could help her figure it out… "I wouldn't object. It's not an official police investigation, so don't expect much. We have to work with what we've got, unfortunately."  
"Understood," Peko replied. She thought for a second. "Where do we start?"  
Kirigiri didn't need to think of a response. "We need to talk to whoever discovered the body. I think it was the goldfish girl, Maizono, wasn't it? I would also investigate the crime scene, but unfortunately we don't have the body anymore to-"  
"Pictures."  
"I'm sorry?"  
Peko realized she had blurted something out and hesitated. "I mean…Koizumi took pictures of the body."  
"You noticed that? Good eye." Peko was already proving herself to be of help. "Though why she did, we need to figure out as well. Why take pictures of something we need to cover up? Unless she's hiding something…" And here Kirigiri thought she wouldn't be investigating this summer. This damned circus was full of surprises.

* * *

  
 _"You're too fucking impulsive, do you know that?!"_  
 _He can't even look up, into his father's face, too busy maintaining the bow to bother. But he knows how angry he is. He can feel it. He feels like he should be angry, too. But he's not. For the first time in a long time, he's ashamed._  
 _"Get up outta that bow! You know damn well thst ain't gonna do shit!" He gets up, and looks into the stern face of his father, and just as he expected, it's contorted in rage. "What the fuck were you thinking?! Huh?! Were you even thinking at all?!'_  
 _"Da-sir, I-"_  
 _"Don't sir me, boy! You're supposed to inherit my business, aren't you? Speak the fuck up!" He's grabbed by his shirt, pulled inches from his father's incensed face. "SPEAK THE FUCK UP!!!"_  
"Gah!" Kuzuryuu jolted awake, almost falling out of his chair. His heart was racing, he felt sweaty…it was that dream again. He rubbed his temples, trying to calm his heartbeat down.  
He looked around, seeing cracks of light through the ripped tent. So it was still daytime, huh…must've taken a nap without even realizing how tired he was.  
"You haven't been getting much sleep, have you?" He looked up in the darkness, seeing a glimmer of red hair on the person standing in front of his booth.   
"Koizumi? The fuck do you want?"  
"I don't know, what do you think?" Koizumi moved, and it appeared she was crossing her arms. "I heard the crash coming from your window last night, along with that long string of curses. You're lucky no one was in the way of that chair!"  
Kuzuryuu clenched his fist. So much for calming down. "So what-you come here to scold me?"  
"No." Koizumi's voice got softer, tender almost. "I came here to check on you. Are you all right, Kuzuryuu?"  
He let out a long sigh. "I'm fine. Got it? You can go now."  
"Look, I'm not going to sugarcoat anything. You aren't a child." Her arms fell to her sides, one hand grabbing onto her other arm as she looked down. It was kinda weird, seeing her like this. All sad and shit. "Murder…seeing a body…it's terrifying.  
Damn straight it is, Kuzuryuu thought, before observing, "You sound like you've seen your share of corpses before."  
"I haven't!" The speed of her denial made it obvious that she had. Dumb broad. "I just…seeing this one really got to me."  
"What, so you wanna talk it out, huh?" Kuzuryuu waved his hand. "In case you ain't noticed, I'm not the type to talk about my feelings. Pretty sure some candyass around here would love to."  
Koizumi sucked in her breath. Good. Sounded like his words stung her well enough. She was the last person in the entire circus he wanted to talk to. The more he could push her away, the better. "Don't take your anger out on the windows," was all she said, turning and leaving.  
"Oi!" He couldn't see well in the light, but he was hoping she waa still close enough to hear him.  
"…yes?"  
Kuzuryuu swallowed a lump in his throat. "They ever find out about that girl in your ticket booth? The one with the missing poster."  
The silence had grown unbearably thick from the second he asked that. Koizumi was still standing there, he knew, but she couldn't speak. "…no. No, they haven't." Her voice was still soft, but he could hear it cracking.  
"Huh. Uh…" _SPEAK THE FUCK UP!!!_ "Sorry. Hope they can find her. What was her name again?" He knew, of fucking course he knew. Even as she said it, the name cut into his brain, reminding him of everything.  
 _Satou..._

* * *

  
"So, uh, Miss Enoshima-"  
"NO!"  
"I didn't even say anything yet- _oof_!" 'Junko' pushed Hagakure's back, making him stumble forward. Nidai, currently sporting Mukuro's wig which was too small for him in the first place, grabbed the fortune teller's arm and straightened his back.  
"You did! Your body language will set you up for defeat before you say a single word!" Nidai started assisting Hagakure in proper posture, while the third person in Hagakure's room laughed.   
"If you're not gonna help, leave!" He yelled, glaring at Komaeda.  
"I am helping. Right before you go in, I'm going to give you my secret weapon."  
"Secret weapon?" Nidai gasped. "Of course! Maybe if we do _it_ , you will be better prepared to take on Junko!"   
Hagakure jumped back, taking a overdramatic defense position. "No! None of _it_ …whatever _it_ is!" He shook his head. "I just don't want to be Fukawa's pincushion anymore!"  
"And we're here to help!" Nidai replied, adjusting the wig. "Now, if you would just try again to be more assertive…!"  
"It's really not about assertiveness, is it?" The other two turned to Komaeda, who was now standing. "It's all about luck. You need luck in order to best someone like Junko, especially since she kinda seems to hate you. Come here."  
Hagakure tentatively came towards Komaeda, who brought his hand up and onto Hagakure's forehead. Closing his eyes his face scrunched up in concentration.  
"Uh, what are you-"  
"Sh!"  
"Komaeda! This is weird! Not at all how a warrior-"  
"SHH!" After the two shut up, Komaeda pushed Hagakure's head back and let him go, smiling at him. "There. I just transferred some of my good luck to you."  
Hagakure blinked. "You did?"  
Komaeda nodded. "Yep! You're all set to take on Junko now!"  
Hagakure shivered, but smiled at the stuntman, then Nidai. "Thanks, guys! I won't let you down!" He ran to the door. "I just hope I can pull it off…" He ran out the door, leaving the two in his room.   
Nidai looked at Komaeda. "Did you really send your luck to him?"  
Komaeda smiled and shrugged. "Honestly? No idea. But most likely she's gonna turn him down, so might as well let him hope, right?"  
"Uhh…yes?" Nidai pulled the Junko wig off. "I should return this before someone realizes it's missing."   
The cyborg left, and Komaeda looked around at the room he was left in. In this type of situation, only one thing to do: look through Hagakure's stuff.

* * *

  
"Junko! I'm not gonna be Fukawa's assistant! Junko, I'm not gonna be Fukawa's assistant!" Hagakure, feeling exceptionally lucky now, was practicing his line over and over as he neared Junko's trailer. "Junko, I'm not-"  
"This is fucking great!" The yell from inside took Hagakure by surprise, and he instead put his ear to the door best he could to listen.  
"Gyahahahaha! It suuure is!!" Wait-was that… _Fukawa_?! What???  
"So you're telling me this is your new routine? The fire, the electricity, all of it?"  
"Oh yeah, sister! It's gonna be big and loud! Of course, I need someone to practice with. Got any hotties?!"  
"Psh, please. You can still use Hagakure. He's already your assistant. Plus folks would want to see that bum get hurt!"   
Hagakure felt his heart sink, all that luck fading away. Fukawa had something rotten up her sleeve, and he was gonna be stuck on the receiving end.   
"Fiiiine! I can deal with that! But promise me Byakuya-sama will be there, all right? Hagaku-razy will be my Eternal Love Sacrifice! Oooh~! I'm gettin' fired up just thinking about it!"  
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just have this polished by opening night."  
Hagakure gulped, trudging away with his shoulders slumped. He swore he could hear funeral bells ringing…Going back to his empty room, he got onto his bed, hoping to sleep off these bad vibes, when something fluttered off the wall and onto his face. "Wha-?" Picking it up, he saw it was a letter.   
_Meet me tomorrow in my room. We need to talk._ And signed in English letters was the name Leon. What did he want to talk about? Hagakure didn't know, but he'd be there. Crumpling up the letter, he tossed it over his shoulder and tried to get some sleep.


End file.
